Damian de Allende says facing the All Blacks four weeks running has been "brutal" but an enormous privilege, as the Springboks head into Saturday's Castle Double Malt Rugby's Greatest Rivalry decider in Baltimore holding a 2-1 series lead.
A win or draw at M&T Bank Stadium seals the trophy for South Africa. A defeat levels the series.
De Allende, fresh off his 100th Test cap, will again partner Jesse Kriel in the midfield and singled out Jordie Barrett as the standout opponent of the series. "His skill set is incredible. He has the ability to do everything on the field, and playing against him these past three weeks has been a real pleasure," said De Allende, adding that he feels he has learned from the experience.
He expressed sympathy for Quinn Tupaea following the All Blacks centre's injury during the series.
With the USA preparing to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup, De Allende hopes the Baltimore crowd gets a genuine taste of top-level international rugby. "The best way to sell it is to have them come to the stadium, enjoy the experience, and see the top two teams in the world play," he said.
The squad took Thursday as a recovery day before tuning in to Saturday's match, which kicks off at 17h00 and is broadcast live on SuperSport.